Not gonna cut it bro, we need a full SR4U type video. Plus match highlights.
My pair gets here this week. Since we are both Merc men, your opinion on them will be needed
Dang, I would really like to accommodate that request…
Ended up playing RWB in men’s 7v7; lost 0-1.
The boots were good, a pleasant surprise, but had some positives and negatives. Size-wise I got them in a US12–same size as my Mercs. In the length, they were spot on. However, the toebox is
extremely low profile, so I felt like especially the tips of my big toe and toenails were really constricted/crushed/jammed. This loosened up as we got into the game and the boots broke in a bit, and by their nature they’re a knit upper so that will shift and expand a bit to accommodate my foot shape with more wear. It was unexpected just how very “low profile” they are. Some people will love and appreciate that; I still prefer the current Merc foot shape with an ever-so-slightly raised toebox.
The AG plate was very pleasant on a newish 4G AG pitch (no black pellets). I
really appreciate the stiffness of the Mercurial (and I’ve previously absolutely loved the Speedflow) on soft to firm ground, but on AG the AG plate hit the right blend of “just enough” while still being comfortable and secure; especially over 35 now, I’m extremely anti-injury and would defer to almost anything in the interest of just not getting hurt. I felt both secure and capable in the AG plate on its intended surface. The AG plate is slightly stiffer in comparison to the FG plate too, which is unsurprising given it’s a thicker/harder plastic to withstand the higher friction/heat on the pitch.
The outsole shape is nice, the stud configuration doesn’t result in any hot spots. It’s very secure, and does what it’s intended to. The lack of a dedicated heel counter is a bit of a trip, and the boots immediately feel like they’re just a sock because of the lack of structure. With grip socks (Falke), I didn’t have any slippage issues, and with laces tied tight I had no internal foot movement.
Short of the pressure on my big toe / toenail, they disappeared quickly and I forgot I was wearing them (which is what you want the best boots to do). The grip element didn’t seem as pronounced as as has been hyped, IMO, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s a particular function of playing on an AG pitch and how everything gets just a little bit dirty/grimey. I’ll give them a wash and see if some of that initial tackiness out of the box comes back.
It’s nice being back in a true “all knit” boot, akin to a Superfly IV or even moreso a Magista Obra from the 2014 era. The texture/feel of the upper is just a hair less loose/unstructured/pliable than what I remember of the Obras. Love the flyknit racer multi-color throwback. That aspect in particular gives this pair bonus points for me.
Probably a solid 7.5/10 for me (I’m a conservative rater). Enjoyable, will definitely continue to use them. Fairly unique on-foot experience. Far superior to its prior iterations in the Phantom Vision 1 and 2.
If anyone has any specific questions, happy to answer.
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